Southampton · England
Care Home Fish and Chips for Itchen events
From the first sizzle in the fryer to the last chip, a fish and chip van visit makes the food a highlight of your care home visit in Itchen.
- Summer fêtes and open days
- Staff thank-you lunches at the home
- Fish and chip Fridays
Fresh fish and chips in Itchen
Care home fish and chips in Itchen, fried fresh
Many residents prefer smaller portions on a plate. On the menu are pie and chips, gravy and cod and chips, and typical bookings are for residents’ birthdays and anniversaries and lunch clubs.
Around Itchen, homes often have a drive and garden. Let us know about the way in. Everything we need comes with the van, and we pack up and leave the spot as we found it.
- Location
- Itchen (SO19, SO14)
- County
- Southampton
- From the fryer
- Cod, haddock, chips, sausages, pies
- Extras
- Curry sauce, mushy peas and gravy
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 24 October 2026
Occasions we serve in Itchen
The kitchen gets a day off cooking for the main meal.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Itchen and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Fish and chip Fridays
- Visiting days
- Summer fêtes and open days
- Staff thank-you lunches at the home
Old photos of Netley Common can spark conversation during a van visit.
What to look for in a quote
- Any minimum charge
- Whether VAT is included
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- The deadline for final numbers
Working with your venue
Venues frequently have their own rules about outside caterers and vehicles: parking spots, arrival times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work through them with you.
For big groups, the service window matters, so we can plan how to keep the queue short. Sending people up in groups helps.
Diets, allergies and planning
With a little notice, diets are easier to plan for. We suggest:
- Plan IDDSI-level meals with your own team
- Let us know if smaller portions suit
- Agree the plan with your kitchen and care team
- Check the spot with your manager
When everyone has eaten, we pack up.
Families love being included.
Itchen: care homes and access
Itchen is about 2 miles south-east of Southampton, in Southampton. Anywhere in SO19, we can bring the van to you. Itchen is one of 40 places in Southampton where we bring the van.
Some homes in Itchen have links with a local church such as Jesus Chapel - St Mary Extra, and a van visit can be part of a summer fête. For families visiting by train, Itchen has its own station, Woolston station. Itchen is within about 7 miles of the New Forest National Park, a nice prompt for residents’ memories of days out. The coast is within about 2 miles, and a van visit brings back seaside memories.
For care home visits in SO19 and SO14, we just need to know where the van can park and a serving time. Your care home visit could be at a house on Sea Road, Oak Road and West Road, wherever the van can park. Itchen is on the A3025, so it’s easy for us to reach with the van. Neighbouring places where we serve care home visits include Peartree Green (1 mile north-west), Northam (1 mile north-west), Sholing (1 mile east), Bitterne (1 mile north-east) and St Mary's (1 mile west). We also serve nearby towns such as Shirley (3 miles north-west), Regents Park (3 miles west), Maybush (4 miles north-west), Coxford (4 miles north-west), Freemantle (3 miles west) and Lordswood (4 miles north-west). Itchen is one of the larger places we cover in Southampton, with plenty of venues for care home visits.
Other landmarks nearby include Bitterne Local History Society Heritage And Research Centre (0.9 miles north) and Marlands Shopping Centre (1.6 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Netley Common.
- Schools near Itchen include Woolston School (under half a mile south) and Oasis Academy Sholing (0.6 miles north-east)
- Local pubs include The Engineers Arms (1 mile north-west)
The process
The first sign we’ve arrived is generally the smell. From then on, people come up as they’re ready. In Itchen, the garden season runs from late May, with light until about 8:55pm, to late September, around 7:10pm; in winter, keep it to lunchtime.
- You share your date, numbers and address.
- We check access for the van and quote.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- Everything is fried to order as the queue moves.
- We serve hot from the hatch and pack up when we are done.
Before we arrive
- Leave room in front of the hatch for a queue
- Have a level parking spot ready
- Confirm numbers and dietary needs before the day
Ask for a quote
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the van would park, roughly how many people and when you’d like to eat. You can fill in our quote form.
Read more
What affects the price in Itchen
We will give you a clear quote. What affects it most:
- The date and time of year
- Distance and any road charges
- The length of service
- Parking and the way in
Fish and chip van prices depend on the booking. A short service and a long afternoon’s trading are very different bookings. We set everything out in your quote.
What we need to know
These details help us quote quickly:
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
- Where the event is
- Allergies and diets you know about
- Where the van would park
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and serving time. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
Your questions about a fish and chip van visit in Itchen
Do you come to venues in the New Forest National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles and ground, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Can the van park in Houndwell Park?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them first.
Is there a non-fish option?
There is: sausage and chips or pie and chips. Tell us roughly how many to expect.
Are visitors included?
Yes. Just include them in your numbers.
When do you arrive?
We arrive well before service to park and heat the fryers. We’ll agree arrival and serving times with you.
Can everyone take part?
The home knows each resident best. Share the diets and we will say what we can do; texture-modified meals should be prepared or advised on by your own team.
Can portions be smaller?
Tell us what you need and we’ll plan portion sizes with your team.
Do you come to Itchen?
Yes, we do. Itchen is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
Should I sort the food myself?
Collecting fish and chips for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s hard work. By the time you’ve queued, paid and driven back, the batter has gone soft. A van fries it right there, so it is crisp.
Some hosts try a takeaway order. Large orders are slow, and the food cools in the bags. A van solves that by cooking on site.
What else we do in Itchen
Is a fish and chip van right for your care home visit?
Entertainers and activities are great; a van visit is both. The price depends on numbers, the menu and how long we serve, along with distance and access to the site. We quote for each booking individually.
Why us?
- No kitchen needed
- A quote that spells everything out
- We cover Itchen and the whole of Southampton
- Quick service from the hatch
Space, access and the venue
The van has to be able to get in and park safely, so a few things need checking. Here’s what we look for:
- A level parking spot near the entrance
- Close to the garden or entrance
- Not right beside residents’ rooms
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think before you book.
On the menu in Itchen
- Mushy peas
- Cod and chips
- Gravy
- Pie and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Haddock and chips
- Fried fresh to order in the van at your event
- Cod, haddock and chips, sausages and pies
- The van comes to you: homes, venues, workplaces and fields
- Served at the time you choose, from the hatch